Police raid £40,000 cannabis factory on residential street

A Kirkby man was caught with a cannabis grow in his house worth around £40,000, a court has been told.

Police raided the Alfred Street home of James Stanley in August last year and found almost 50 plants growing.

Magistrates in Mansfield were told how the 38-year-old defendant was in at the time of the raid, but was later arrested.

He was also found to be in possession of £230 worth of amphetamine, which was accepted as being for his own personal use.

The Crown Prosecution Service said the cannabis plants had been spread across two rooms, with 12 in one room, and 37 in another.

They described it as being a sophisticated set-up with hydroponic equipment - used to help grow the drug - also found.

After his arrest Stanley gave a ‘no-comment interview’ at the police station but during the hearing at Mansfield Magistrates’ Court admitted a charge of cannabis production and possession of amphetamine.

The case was sent to Nottingham Crown Court for sentencing, where he will appear on April 4.